Psalms 34:5

They looked unto Him and were lightened; and their faces were not ashamed.

Good authority for a good hope

How low, oftentimes, has been the condition of the people of God! See the lamentations of Jeremiah. But he and all God’s saints have looked unto God and were lightened. Consider--

I. their expectation. “They looked unto Him.” They did so under--

1. The deluge of sin. This universal; none ever escaped it. “We are all under sin.”

2. The deluge of death.

3. Jehovah’s eternal wrath. None, by and of themselves, can escape either. But Jesus said, “Lo, I come,” and He hath rolled back the waters of each, for all them that look to Him.

4. Bondage. Israel was in bondage, and so are God’s people now. But the Lord has promised to deliver them. “The sighing of the prisoners “comes before Him, and He preserves those that “are appointed to die.” The sins of our nature are hard task-masters.

II. confirmation. They “were lightened” in mind and in soul. Let us then rejoice in our religion, and we shall never be ashamed. (James Wells.)

Looking unto Jesus

From the connection we are to understand the pronoun “Him” as referring to the word “Lord” in the preceding verse. “They looked unto the Lord Jehovah, and were lightened.” But no man ever yet looked to Jehovah God, as He is in Himself, and found any comfort in Him, for “our God is a consuming fire.” The only way in which we can see God is through the Mediator Jesus Christ.

I. First, look to the Lord Jesus Christ in his life. Here the troubled saint will find the most to enlighten him. In the example, in the patience, in the sufferings of Jesus Christ, there are stars of glory to cheer the midnight darkness of the sky of your tribulation. One glimpse at Him may well suffice for all our toils while on the road. Cheered by His voice, nerved by His strength, we are prepared to do and suffer, even as He did, to the death. We trust that those of you who are weary Christians will not forget to “look unto Him, and be lightened.”

II. Come, then, poor, doubting, trembling sinners and saints--come ye now to Calvary’s cross. Certain I am, that if we lived more with Jesus, were more like Jesus, and trusted more to Jesus, doubts and fears would be very scarce. “They looked unto Him, and were lightened.”

III. And now I invite you to a glorious scene--Christ’s resurrection. You have lost, some of you, the dearest of your earthly relatives. There are others under the constant fear of death. Come, come, behold Jesus Christ risen! For remember, this is a great truth--“Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept.”

IV. look at Jesus Christ ascending into heaven. You are wrestling with spiritual enemies; you are at war to-day, and mayhap the enemy has thrust sore at you, and you have been ready to fall; it is a marvel to you that you have not turned like a coward from the field. But tremble not, your Master was more than conqueror, and so shall you be.

V. “look unto him, and be lightened.” See there He sits in heaven, He has led captivity captive, and now sits at the right hand of God for ever making intercession for us. Like a great high priest of old, He stands with outstretched arms: there is majesty in His mien, for He is no mean, cringing suppliant. If thou dost not succeed, He will; if thy intercession be unnoticed, His cannot be passed away. Oh! be of good cheer, continue still thy supplication. “Look unto Him, and be lightened.” (C. H. Spurgeon.)